The Nation Newspaper

Tag: RANGERS

  • Nembe’s Egharevba ready Rangers challenge

    Nembe’s Egharevba ready Rangers challenge

    After scoring on his debut against Heartland, Nembe City new boy, Frank Egharevba, has declared his readiness to face another big gun, Enugu Rangers.

    The exit of the trio of Okiki Musampa (on five goals), Uche Ugochukwu (on three goals) as well as Samuel Akinbinu (on three goals), who were the leading scorers in the team created a gap in the attack and Egharevba was plucked from amateur side, Dynamite to boost the quest for goals.

    Musampa, who scored in the reverse fixture against Rangers headed for table-topping Kano Pillars during the mid-season transfer.

    Club gaffer, John Aranka, said the forward has brought renewed confidence in the attack.

    “Egharevba is a good addition to the team. Scoring against a top side like Heartland on his Premier League debut is a sign of what he can do,” the former junior international submitted

    The forward who has lower division experience with defunct Paulson, Gabros and Akwa United reiterated his desire to score more goals for Nembe.

    “My job is to score goals and it’s my desire to be consistent. I’m ready for the Rangers test,” he told supersport.com.

    Egharevba was set for re-union with his former coach at Akwa United, Solomon Ogbeide, before making a switch to City.

    “The return of Efe Yarhere to Warri Wolves led to a delay. However, I preferred a move to City to play regularly,” he said.

    With a goal on his debut, Egharevba’s decision has no doubt paid off and City fans believe they have a new star in the horizon.

  • No problem with match venue-Rangers

    No problem with match venue-Rangers

    Enugu Rangers have expressed that they have no qualms with the choice of Abuja as centre for their Federation Cup Round of 32 encounter with Samba Kurna of Kano, billed for Wednesday.

    The Flying Antelopes’ Director of Media and Publicity, Foster Chime, revealed that the club would parade their best legs as they continue their search for titles on both the continent and in the country.

    Chime noted that despite being the favourites, Rangers would approach the Round of 32 encounter with seriousness and focus because of the objectives they have set for the season.

    “Our players and officials have left for Abuja. We don’t have any problem with the choice of Abuja because it is a neutral ground to both clubs. We are not going to take chances. We already have our objectives set for the season and it is very important for us to beat Samba and qualify for the next round. There is no distraction whatsoever.

    “We already said times without number that we are very confident the Appeal with CAF over our unjust disqualification would scale through and that we shall be reinstated into the CAF Confederation Cup again,” Chime said.

    Rangers are lukewarm by their own standard in the Glo Premier League with 30 points from 21 games as they are placed 8th but Chime told SportingLife the win over Samba Kurna and the success at the CAF Appeals Committee would re-ignite a turnaround in the Coal City side.

     

  • Rangers sure of Confed Cup appeal

    Rangers sure of Confed Cup appeal

    Troubled Glo Premier League side, Enugu Rangers have expressed confidence that their appeal against disqualification appeal from the 2013 CAF Confederation Cup will be upheld.

    The CAF Appeal Committee is expected to sit on Saturday, July 20 to consider the merit and demerit of the Coal City side complaint following the continent’s football body decision to throw them out from the mini-league stage of the CAF Confederation Cup for allegedly fielding an ineligible player in the person of goalkeeper, Emmanuel Daniel against Tunisian giants, Club Sportif Sfaxien.

    Enugu Rangers won the first fixture in Enugu 1-0 while they held the North African side to a goalless draw in Tunis.

    The Flying Antelopes were to campaign in Group A together with the Ethiopian side, Saint George, ES Sahel of Tunisia and Stade Malien of Mali for a place in the semifinals of Africa secondary club competition.

    An official of the side, Foster Chime said his side are confident of winning their appeal given the strength of overwhelming evidence presented to the appeal committee.

    “We’re hopeful that the judgement of the CAF Appeal Committee will be in our favour by the quality of submission we presented.

    “So nobody is losing sleep over it but anxiously waiting for the date of the appeal to come and go so that we can re-prioritise our programme for the campaign.

    “We’re not interested in who did or said what but to present the kernel of the case as it is. As I said earlier we’re positive judgement will be in our favour,” Chime said to supersport.com.

    Rangers will however first sort themselves out in the round of 32 in the Federation Cup against Samba FC on Wednesday in Abuja before the July 20 judgement by the CAF Appeal Committee. The Enugu-based side were shocked by Prime FC in the zonal stage of the 2012 edition of the annual competition.

  • Rangers thrown out of Confeds Cup

    Rangers thrown out of Confeds Cup

    Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers has been kicked out of the CAF Confederations Cup after fielding an ineligible player against Sfaxien of Tunisia, MTNFootball.com reports.

    According to an official statement by the Confederation of African Football, goalkeeper Daniel Emmanuel was not properly registered for the competition, but was fielded by Rangers during matches against the Tunisians.

    Rangers won the first leg in Enugu 1-0 and held the Tunisians to a goalless draw in the return fixture.

    Sfaxien has thus replaced Rangers in Group A of the Confederations Cup.

    The other teams in the group are Stade Malien of Mali, Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia and Saint Georges from Ethiopia.

     

  • CAF EXCLUSIVE: Rangers face axe over Daniel’s eligibility

    CAF EXCLUSIVE: Rangers face axe over Daniel’s eligibility

    Enugu Rangers’ clumsy transfer policy this season may have finally caught up with them following revelations that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has stepped up its investigation of Emmanuel Daniel’s eligibility for the CAF Confederation Cup.

    The CAF has written to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) requesting Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan to confirm if goalkeeper Emmanuel Daniel was indeed released to the Flying Antelopes at the expiration of his contract with the Oluyole Warriors in accordance with the rules governing the players’ registration for the competition, failure of which may signal the end of Rangers in the CAF Confederation Cup.

    In a letter dated 22nd June 2013 addressed to the Secretary General of the NFF, Mr. Amadu Musa, tagged Urgent and Important, and a copy of which was exclusively obtained by SportingLife, CAF Secretary-General, Mr. Hitcham El Amrani requested the NFF to furnish it with full clarification on Emmanuel Daniel’s status.

    According to the letter from the CAF secretariat in Cairo, the continent soccer ruling body had written to the NFF following protest received from Club Sportif (CS) Sfaxien of Tunisia on the eligibility of Emmanuel Daniel who featured for Rangers during match no 90 of the CAF Confederation Cup in Tunis to confirm the status of the player. Rangers beat CS Sfaxien 1-0 aggregate to qualify to the group stage of the competition.

    It was gathered that contrary to the rules and regulations of players transfer in NFF and CAF, the NFF confirmed Emmanuel Daniel as a player of Rangers and even backed it up with documents.

    The NFF, however, met a brick wall when CAF wrote another letter requesting for a letter or document showing that 3SC has actually released Emmanuel Daniel as claimed by NFF.

    The letter reads in part, “Reference is made to our letter dated June 9th 2013, in reference to the above and following the documents received from NFF June 13th 2013 concerning the protest received from CSS of Tunisia about the qualification of the player Daniel Emmanuel of Rangers during match no 90: CSS vs Rangers in the frame of the 2nd 1/8th final of the Confederation Cup CC 2013

    “You are kindly requested to ask the Club Shooting Stars Club to provide CAF with a full clarification concerning the former status of Mr. Emmanuel Daniel with Shooting Stars and to confirm the exact length of the contract made with him(i.e. from the moment he joined them till he left them and moved to Enugu Rangers)”

    CAF stated that while it received documents on the registration of Daniel as a Rangers player there was none that include the release of the player by Shooting Stars to Rangers in accordance with normal transfer policy.

    “The reason we are asking this important information is that, while the documents received from NFF were clearly understood, please note that in your documentation there was never any mention of an agreement reached between Enugu Rangers and Shooting Stars, and we did not receive also any correspondence (s) from Shooting Stars that indeed they released their player after expiration of the contract from January to December 31st 2012”.

    “Please respond to the request by June 25, 2013 at the latest in order to provide us with any further supporting documents. However, failure to provide the said documents will not prevent CAF from submitting the case of the said player to the competent committee for final decision.” the letter concluded.

    El Amrani confirmed that the matter will be dealt with in accordance with the CAF rules and regulation of the Competition referring to Article 25 and 26 guiding the conduct of the competition. When contacted, Shooting Stars officials declined comment but confirmed that they actually received a letter from CAF through the NFF.

    The club has however in recent time maintained that Emmanuel Daniel remains their player and he will still rejoin the Ibadan-based club. The club confirmed that they have written twice in the past to both the League Management Committee (LMC) and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the illegal way Rangers acquired Emmanuel Daniel while also protesting the illegal way he was registered by the LMC.

    With the latest development it is almost sure that Rangers will be thrown out of the CAF Confederation Cup if found guilty meaning all they would have wasted time and money prosecuting this competition.

    The matter is not expected to end that way as several clubs against whom Rangers fielded Emmanuel Daniel may also protest his eligibility, meaning that the Flying Antelopes will forfeit all the points.

    Rangers have been locked in several transfer battles this season including the case of Chigoze Agbim and Sunday Mba involving the club and Warri Wolves.

    All efforts to reach the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before going to press for their reaction proved abortive.

    CAF, however, in response to an E-mail sent to the Secretary-General, Hicham El Amrani confirmed receiving a protest from CSS of Tunisia and the two letters subsequently written to the NFF on the subject matter.

    The CAF decision will no doubt go a long way in resolving the transfer logjam especially with the NFF and LMC silent on the issue.

  • Enugu Rangers head to Ghana

    Enugu Rangers head to Ghana

    Enugu Rangers have gone to Ghana to feature in the invitational Presidents Cup tournament along with DR Congo side TP Mazembe and two other Ghanaian clubs.

    The Flying Antelopes departed for Accra on Thursday evening, less than 24 hours before their opening game against Ghanaian club Medeama SC on Friday evening at the Essipong Stadium in Sekondi.

    Accra Hearts of Oak play host to TP Mazembe on June 29 at the Accra Sports Stadium. The winners of either game will play against each other in the final on July 1.

    The tournament which is organised by Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) is held in honour of the sitting Ghana president to mark the West African nation’s attainment of Republican status on July 1, 1960.

    This is the first time the competition will feature foreign teams in a bid to boost its corporate profile.

    Ghana’s president John Dramani Mahama is expected to attend the Final of the competition which will be a dress rehearsal for both Rangers and TP Mazembe who will commence their CAF Confederation Cup campaign between July 19-21 against Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia and ES Setif of Algeria respectively.

  • Rangers to unveil new signings

    Rangers to unveil new signings

    Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side Enugu Rangers will this week make public their new signings for the second half of the season.

    An official of the Flying Antelopes told futaa.com that the few signings made during the half season transfer window was geared towards reinforcing the team as they hope to challenge for both the League title and Federations Cup on the home front.

    “We have acquired some new players that we feel can help our ambition of ending our three decades trophy drought, by the course of the week, they will be unveiled,” the official stated.

    “Rangers have lost pace at the top of the table where Kano Pillars currently hold sway.”

    The Flying Antelopes finished as runners-up in the last campaign but are not willing to play second fiddle once more hence the decision to further bolster their squad for the crucial second half of the League.

  • Rangers accept Maiduguri loss

    Rangers accept Maiduguri loss

    Enugu Rangers have stressed that they have moved on from their 3-0 away loss to El Kanemi Warriors and have resolved to vent their anger on Nasarawa United whom they play this weekend in the Week 19 of the Globacom Premier League in Lafia.

    The General Manager of the Flying Antelopes, Paul Chibuzor Ozor in a telephone interview told SportingLife that the coal city team have no qualms with the loss but have put it behind them so that the players and technical crew are not demoralised ahead of their tie against Nasarawa United.

    Rangers will be up against former coach, Alphonsus Dike who is now with the Lafia side, but Ozor noted that the Flying Antelopes’ coaching crew have assured him that they would ensure they fashion out a winning formula one which would prevent another loss this term.

    “We have accepted the loss against El Kanemi Warriors. There were so many factors responsible but we are happy our boys left Maiduguri without any problem. We are going to channel our arsenal towards making a good representation against Nasarawa United. There are only three eventualities in a game of football. You either win, lose or draw. We are not happy with our performance in the league but we have made it our objective to get something out of the tie in Lafia and the two remaining matches against 3SC and Sharks,” Ozor said.

    Rangers have 24 points from 16 games.

  • RANGERS DRAW ETOILE, STADE MALIEN

    RANGERS DRAW ETOILE, STADE MALIEN

    ENUGU RANGERS will clash with another Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel and Mali’s Stade Malien in Group A of the CAF Confederation Cup.

    The other club in Group A are Saint Georges of Ethiopia with the top two clubs from this section making it to the semi-finals to be played on a knockout basis.

    Rangers striker Efe Yarhere told MTNFootball.com that the draw in Tunisia has further boosted their morale as they fear no team in the group. “No easy opposition is expected at group stage of this kind of competition, we are prepared for that. The draw against CS Sfaxien has boosted our confidence, we will take the game as they come. I am sure we will get through the group,” Yarhere told MTNFootball.com.

    On Sunday, Nigeria’s only surviving club on the continent this year Rangers parading a depleted side held CS Sfaxien to a goalless draw in a third round second leg match in Sfax to book a place in the Confederations Cup group phase.

    Group B has TP Mazembe (Congo DR), CA Bizerte (Tunisia), FUS Rabat (Morocco) and Entente Sportive de Sétif (Algeria).

  • Rangers promise to deliver CAF Confed

    Rangers promise to deliver CAF Confed

    NIGERIA Professional Football League (NPFL) side, Enugu Rangers will win the 2013 CAF Confederation Cup, according to the club chairman, Festus Onu. The Flying Antelopes were staring down the barrel ahead of their second leg, playoff against Tunisian club, CS Sfaxien following a slim 1-0 first leg win a fortnight ago in Enugu.

    However a gutsy display at the Stade Taieb Mhiri, Sfax on Sunday earned the six-time Nigerian champions a 0-0 draw that saw them progress to the group stages of Africa’s second tier club competition on a 1-0 aggregate.

    “I said this sometime ago but few believed; Rangers will win the CAF Confederation Cup this year,” Onu told supersport.com shortly after the game. Rangers were without established stars like Chigozie Agbim and Sunday Mba who are currently with the Nigeria squad preparing for Wednesday’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kenya in Nairobi.

    Onu added that the ability of the squad to deal with the absence of the duo shows that the other players in the fold are made of quality stuff. “Everyone knows how important Mba and Agbim are to us but the other players have now proved that they also deserve to be in this team. Remember, we have got to this stage by eliminating CS Sfaxien, the only side that has retained this trophy back-to-back (2007 and 2008). They were also runners-up once (2010).

    “We have beaten one of the strongest sides in Africa but we will keep working hard and we will stay humble. We ask Nigerians to pray for us,” he concluded. Rangers will compete in Group A of the competition alongside Saint Georges (Ethiopia), Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) and Stade Malien (Mali). No Nigerian club have won the CAF Confederation Cup in its present guise.